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ENGLISH

A student's assignment to English each year is determined by consistent quality of performance during the preceding year and teacher and counselor recommendations.

1. Honors English in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 is offered to students who have demonstrated consistent ability to operate at a high level and to persevere. Placement in grade 9 is determined by the mastery level demonstrated in the middle school English program. Students must maintain a B (not B-) average to remain in the Honors sequence. They must earn a grade of A- to move into the Honors sequence from the C1 level. These are the prerequisites for Honors English.

2. Advanced Placement English in Grade 12 is offered to a select group of students who have demonstrated that they can assume a high level of personal responsibility for their work. Advanced Placement candidates must have revealed ability to work consistently at a sophisticated cognitive level, to manipulate details in an imaginative way, and to write excellent critical analyses.

The selection process will involve three criteria:

a) Students must apply for this course and submit work in support of their application. Only those with grades of B or better in Honors or A- or better in C1 are eligible to apply.
b) Students must be recommended for this course by their current teacher.
c) Students' applications must be approved by a committee of English teachers and by the Director of English.

3. All sophomores take Writing Laboratory during the first semester of the sophomore year. Successful completion of this course is a requirement for graduation. Students who fail Writing Lab must retake the course, and this can be done only at Winchester High School.

4. For the English requirement, American Literature is offered either as a full year course or as a semester course in conjunction with Speech or Creative Writing. Possible combinations to fulfill the English requirement are: 127/128 American Literature I/American Literature II, 127/125 American Literature I/Creative Writing, and 124/128 Speech/American Literature II. However, a student may not take the first semester of Speech and Debate and the second semester of Creative Writing sequentially to fulfill a full year English requirement.

5. For elective credit only a student may select Creative Writing or Speech and Debate without the American Literature component.

6. An individualized, diagnostic/prescriptive, remedial reading tutorial is provided as English classroom support for students in grades 9-12. Admission is through teacher recommendation. Credit will be awarded based on the number of sessions scheduled per cycle (not to exceed five), with prior approval of the English Director.

7. Selected summer reading is assigned as a requirement for all English courses.

8. Successful completion of a research paper is a requirement for some junior and senior literature courses.

Courses Available by Grades
A. Grade 9

0104 Grade 9 English (H) Y 5
0103 Grade 9 English (C1) Y 5
0102 Grade 9 English (C2) Y 5

B. Grade 10

FIRST SEMESTER SECOND SEMESTER

0107 Writing Laboratory (H) 0108 American Humanities (H) Y 5
0106 Writing Laboratory (C1) 0109 American Dream (C1) Y 5
0105 Writing Laboratory (C2) 0110 Exploring American Literature (C2) Y 5
0125 Creative Writing (C1 ) S 2 1/2 0126 Creative Writing (H by contract) S 2 1/2

C. Grades 11 and 12

0116 Survey of British Literature (H) Y 5
0115 Survey of British Literature (C1) Y 5
0147 American Studies: An Interdisciplinary Approach (C1) Y/Double 10
0148 American Studies: An Interdisciplinary Approach (H by contract) Y/Double 10
0113 Thematic Literature and Composition I (C2) Y 5
0143 Journalism and Non-Fiction (C1) Y 5
0144 Journalism and Non-Fiction (H by contract) Y 5
0121 Shakespearean and Modern Drama (C1) Y 5
0122 Shakespearean and Modern Drama (H by contract) Y 5
0127 American Literature I (first semester) (C1) S 2 1/2
0128 American Literature II (second semester) (C1) S 2 1/2
0123 College Prep English (C1) Y 5
0124 Speech and Debate (first semester) (C1) S 2 1/2
0125 Creative Writing (second semester) (C1) S 2 1/2
0126 Creative Writing (second semester) (H by contract) S 2 1/2
D. Grade 12

0119 Advanced Placement English (Survey of World Literature) (H+) Y 5
0117 Masterpieces of World Literature (C1) Y 5
0118 Masterpieces of World Literature (H by contract) Y 5
0142 Literature and Film (C1) Y 5
0114 Thematic Literature and Composition II (C2) Y 5
0111 Humanities (C1) Y/Double 10
0112 Humanities (H by contract) Y/Double 10

Course Descriptions

Grade 9
0104 GRADE 9 ENGLISH (H) (See Prerequisite) Y 5

In this course, exposure to a wide range of literature is intended to increase students' awareness of the power and variety of language, broaden their experience, provide a foundation for the in-depth exploration of upper English courses. Careful reading of short fiction, novels, non-fiction, poetry and drama encourages the development of analytical skills. The emphasis is on interpretation, with special attention to literary terms and concepts, theme and figurative language. Expository writing assignments, based on the literature, stress focus, support, and specific detail. Instruction in research methods, process, and organization prepares students for writing research papers. Creative writing includes short fiction and poetry. Grammar review focuses on usage, and vocabulary units focus on recognizing and using words in context.

0103 GRADE 9 ENGLISH (C1) Y 5

Grade 9 C1 English focuses on developing reading and writing skills and fostering enjoyment of reading and writing. Students read short fiction, novels, non-fiction, poetry, and drama. The emphasis is on analysis, through an understanding of the elements of fiction and of literary devices; synthesis, through discovering themes; and connection, through comparison with other works of literature and with students' own experience. Expository writing assignments correspond with the reading assignments and emphasize clarity, precision, and specific detail. Students also have the opportunity to do some creative writing of short fiction and poetry. Grammar lessons focus on usage, while vocabulary lessons focus on using words in context. Instruction in research methods, process, and organization prepares students for writing research papers.

0102 GRADE 9 ENGLISH (C2) Y 5

This course is designed to improve students' reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills to assist students in learning in all academic content areas; to help students in dealing with the everyday world in which they live; and to increase the students' language experiences. The focus in reading both fiction and non-fiction is on comprehension and inferential reasoning. Students learn to recognize an author's bias and credentials and the difference between fact and opinion. Discussions of reading assignments emphasize characterization, setting, style, theme, and vocabulary. Students identify main ideas, supporting details, fact, opinion, sequence of events, and relationships in the writings of authors such as Hemingway, Steinbeck, Poe, White, Paulsen and Shakespeare.

Grade 10
WRITING LABORATORY (H (See Prerequisite), C1, or C2) S 2 1/2

The Writing Laboratory, a one-semester expository writing course, is offered with each of the three Grade 10 literature courses. The focus is on the process of writing, a focus that is reinforced by writing in all literature courses thereafter. Students write the following kinds of essays: persuasion, comparison-contrast, cause and effect, and literary analysis. Focus correction areas are thesis, support, paragraphing, sentence structure, and word choice. Peer editing, spot conferencing, and revision are important aspects of Writing Lab. Students read pieces by professional writers, using them for inspiration, for models of good writing, for strengthening critiquing skills, and for analysis. Much of the writing, editing and revision is done on wireless laptop computers.

0107 WRITING LABORATORY (first semester) (H) (See Prerequisite) S 2 1/2
0108 AMERICAN HUMANITIES (second semester) (H) (See Prerequisite) S 2 1/2

In the literature course students read American works of recognized literary merit by authors such as Emerson, Thoreau, Melville, Poe, Hawthorne, Whitman, Twain, Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, Hemingway and Salinger. The goals of the course are to help develop good readers, to help students to use literature as tools in understanding themselves and others, to help students use literature to gain an insight into the cultural backgrounds represented in the literary works, and to review and practice writing skills learned in Writing Lab. In-depth discussions focus not only on the literary conventions, but also on the intellectual, philosophical and social forces which defined each era of American life. Frequent analytical papers and essay tests with an emphasis on character, theme and style are required.

0106 WRITING LABORATORY (first semester) (C1) S 2 1/2
0109 AMERICAN DREAM (second semester) (C1) S 2 1/2

The literature course defines, traces, and evaluates the theme of the American Dream through representative American literary works. The goals of the course are to help develop good readers, to help students to use literature as tools in understanding themselves and others, to help students use literature to gain an insight into the cultural backgrounds represented in the literary works, and to review and practice writing skills learned in Writing Lab. Students read and discuss novels, short stories, plays, and poetry as they determine the historical and social factors which contributed to the changing definition of the American Dream from the age of Puritans to the present time. Most writing is expository and evolves from reading assignments. Students are expected to work independently as well as in small groups. Evaluation is based on oral presentations, quizzes, compositions, and essay examinations. Students read authors such as Bradford, Edwards, Hawthorne, Whitman, Twain, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Miller, Wilson, and Salinger.

0105 WRITING LABORATORY (first semester) (C2) S 2 1/2
0110 EXPLORING AMERICAN LITERATURE (second semester) (C2) S 2 1/2

The literature course is designed to lead to improvement in reading skills for both fiction and non-fiction and to an appreciation of literature through a study of 20th century American fiction, poetry and drama of authors such as Miller, Salinger, Vonnegut, Hemingway, Wilson and Krakauer. Changing American ideas are discussed as well as changing literary styles. Students participate in discussions of assigned readings and write short expository essays, practicing the skills they learned in Writing Lab.

Grades 11 and 12
0116 SURVEY OF BRITISH LITERATURE (H) (See Prerequisite) Y 5

In this course students read many of the masterpieces of British literature, becoming acquainted with the political, economic, and cultural forces which influenced the writings as well as the developments in literature. The class format includes occasional lectures, frequent class discussions of work assigned, the preparation of numerous critical essays and the completion of a research paper. Literature selections include such authors as the anonymous Beowulf poet, Chaucer, Shakespeare, the Romantic poets, Dickens, Hardy, Conrad, Joyce, Woolf, and Eliot. Papers and projects are both analytical and creative.

0115 SURVEY OF BRITISH LITERATURE (C1) Y 5

During the first semester, students study the historical and cultural backgrounds of the Anglo-Saxon era, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Enlightenment. Students read authors such as the Beowulf poet, Malory, Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Swift. During the second semester, students study the historical and cultural backgrounds of the Romantic, Victorian, and modern periods. They read novels, short stories, poetry and drama of authors like Dickens, Hardy, Wordsworth, Col-eridge, Byron, Keats, Shelley, and Conrad. Evaluation of students is based on class participation, analytical essays, creative projects and oral presentations. All students practice research skills.

0147/0148 AMERICAN STUDIES: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH (C1 or H by contract (See Prerequisite)) Y/Double 10

This new double credit course for juniors offers an interdisciplinary approach to the examination of Modern America. Through a study of American history, literature, music and art, this course will enrich the depth of a student’s understanding of American culture, especially in the twentieth century. The thematic approach includes a focus on a number of different themes including Race in America, Prosperity and Depression, Technological Innovation and Change in America, and Protest. Students will examine the works of major American writers such as Crane, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Hughes, Hurston, Morrison, Carver and Kingston. They will also explore the roots and development of American art and music during this same time period. Papers and projects are both analytical and creative. A major term paper is a requirement of this course. Students may elect to work at the honors level in this course by meeting the requirements of the English department for honors level work.

0113 THEMATIC LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION I (C2) Y 5 (formerly known as Reading and Writing I)

The focus of this course is the continued development of students' reading, writing and critical thinking skills. During the year, students read literature and non-fiction related to a central theme, in order to improve comprehension and deepen an appreciation for literature. Among the authors read are Keyes, Sophocles, Shakespeare, Gibbons, Keller, Cormier and Poe. Vocabulary and grammar are taught within the context of these works, and there are regular comprehension and vocabulary quizzes. Paper assignments related to the students’ experiences and readings include critical essays, creative and autobiographical projects and a research presentation. Written exercises and essays focus upon supporting conclusions with specific evidence, developing clarity of written expression, and writing for specific audiences.

SPEECH AND DEBATE/AMERICAN LITERATURE II

0124 SPEECH AND DEBATE (first semester) (C1) S 2 1/2 Can be taken as an elective first semester.

Speaking experiences introduce the student to a variety of forms, including persuasive speaking, public speaking, debating, group discussion, interviewing skills and public readings. Emphasis is on researching a topic, outlining material, creating specific speech formats, and overcoming nervousness. Additional speech experience comes through dramatic presentations and improvisations.

0128 AMERICAN LITERATURE II (second semester) (C1) S 2 1/2

Fiction and Essays: Why do people tell stories? What is an American story? The focus of this course is the development of critical thinking and inferential reading skills through the study of American Literature. Through expository writing assignments students will analyze novels, short stories, plays, satire, poetry and media. Recent classes have included works by Kurt Vonnegut, Mark Twain, Zora Neale Hurston, Tim O’Brien, Tennessee Williams and contemporary American essay writers. The vocabulary development is based on assigned readings with a focus on understanding vocabulary in context. Students will participate in class discussions and complete weekly reading and writing assignments. Also there is a major independent, creative project.

AMERICAN LITERATURE I/CREATIVE WRITING

0127 AMERICAN LITERATURE I (first semester) (C1) S 2 ½

Non-Fiction and the Wild: This course will investigate the idea of the individual and the “outsider” through both traditional and modern literature, with a focus on non-fiction. The works of Thoreau, Whitman, Krakauer, Proenneke and Ralston as well as recent documentary films will provide the background for looking critically at philosophical movements beginning with Transcendentalism and moving through Existentialism. The course will focus on vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing and analytical skills. Students will participate in class discussions and complete weekly reading assignments, as well as write essays and carry out creative projects. Students will also have the opportunity for field trips and hands-on activities that further the learning experience.

0125/0126 CREATIVE WRITING (second semester) (C1 or H by contract (See Prerequisite)) S 2 1/2 Can be taken as an elective second semester.

This course will include the writing of poetry, fiction, and drama; a study of literary terms and concepts; close reading and analysis of literary samples in each genre; close reading and critiquing of each student's own work; and related writing, such as journals and self-portraits for college applications. Students selecting this course should be competent writers who enjoy writing, want to improve their writing skills, want to become better readers of literary writing, and are interested in a close and honest observation of their own experience, both real and imaginative. Students may elect to work at the honors level in this course by contract.

AMERICAN LITERATURE I/AMERICAN LITERATURE II

0127 AMERICAN LITERATURE I (first semester) (C1) S 2 1/2

Non-Fiction and the Wild: This course will investigate the idea of the individual and the “outsider” through both traditional and modern literature, with a focus on non-fiction. The works of Thoreau, Whitman, Krakauer, Proenneke and Ralston as well as recent documantary films will provide the background for looking critically at philosophical movements beginning with Transcendentalism and moving through Existentialism. The course will focus on vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing and analytical skills. Students will participate in class discussions and complete weekly reading assignments, as well as write essays and complete creative projects. Students will also have the opportunity for field trips and hands-on activities that further the learning experience.

0128 AMERICAN LITERATURE II (second semester) (C1) S 2 1/2

The primary objective of this course is to reinforce and improve those reading, writing, speaking and listening skills required for success in college. During the year students read fiction and non-fiction in selected thematic units to develop comprehension and improve critical reading skills. The selection of thought provoking choices in literature will help students’ stretch the boundaries of their abstract thinking. Essential expository writing skills are reinforced with the preparation of the personal college essay and literary analysis essays. Students will also practice basic research skills needed for college. Class discussions and oral presentations encourage fluency in oral communications. A comprehensive review of English grammar and usage and emphasis on reading-based vocabulary are integral to the course. Some of the literature studied include the works of Plath, Bradbury, Guest, Kesey, Zindel and Huxley.

0142 LITERATURE AND FILM (C1) Y 5

This full year course for seniors will explore literature and film on the topics of identity and dystopias. First semester, students will study various means of looking at human identity and the forces that shape it. Literature will include The Stranger, The Metamorphosis and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Films will include works of Hitchcock, as well as Nolan’s Memento. Second semester, students will study dystopian literature, including Kurt Vonnegut and Philip K. Dick. Films will reflect the scope of this genre and its history. Since this course has a limited enrollment of fifty students, students must be recommended by their current teacher and approved by the course teacher. Students may not select Literature and Film as a second English course.

0143/0144 JOURNALISM AND NON-FICTION (C1 or H by contract (See Prerequisite)) Y 5

Journalism has been called everything from “the first draft of history” to “literature in a hurry.” This course concentrates on the writing, reading, analytical and technical skills required to produce high-quality non-fiction. Students will produce newswriting, non-fiction essays, opinion pieces and journals, while learning how to gather reliable information, conduct interviews, and write effectively on a deadline. After polishing, some pieces will be submitted for publication in local and national media outlets, including The Red and Black. Authors studied include Douglass, Johnson, Capote, Thompson and Woodward and Bernstein.

As the course progresses, students will analyze the way non-fiction authors use literary devices to recreate lived experience. Using literature from across several genres including biography, essay, editorial and drama, the course will explore the line between fiction and non-fiction and describe the consequences that ensue when the two intersect. Students will read the essayists Franklin, Pepys and Thoreau as well as the novelists Hemingway, Ellison and Achebe. With “reality” dominating popular culture, understanding how to read and write non-fiction is essential.

0121/0122 SHAKESPEAREAN AND MODERN DRAMA (C1 or H by contract (See Prerequisite)) Y 5

This full-year course for juniors and seniors will cover William Shakespeare’s comedies, such as Midsummers Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night. Various moderns such as Chekhov, Ibsen, Albee, Beckett, Shepherd and Stoppard will also be studied. We will explore the actor's craft through exercises, improvisations, scene work and character analysis. Work on scenes will develop sensitivity to text, and skills in creative interpretation. Testing will be based on performance of monologues and collaboration in scenes from the works studied. Students will also keep journals, write short papers and an original play. Students may elect to work at the honors level in this course by contract.

0124 SPEECH AND DEBATE (C1) S 2 1/2 Can be taken as an elective first semester.

0125/0126 CREATIVE WRITING (C1 or H by contract (See Prerequisite)) S 2 1/2 Can be taken as an elective second semester.

This course will include the writing of poetry, fiction, and drama; a study of literary terms and concepts; close reading and analysis of literary samples in each genre; close reading and critiquing of each student's own work; and related writing, such as journals and self-portraits for college applications. Students selecting this course should be competent writers who enjoy writing, want to improve their writing skills, want to become better readers of literary writing, and are interested in a close and honest observation of their own experience, both real and imaginative. Creative Writing is open to: sophomores, juniors, and seniors as a one-semester elective course. Students may elect to work at the honors level in this course by contract.

Grade 12
0119 ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH (Survey of World Literature) (H+) Y 5 (Prerequisite: at least B average in Honors British Literature or an A- average in C1 British Literature. Students must be recommended by their teacher and apply for this course. Approval of the Director of English is required.)

In AP English strong, well-motivated students read, discuss, and analyze selected examples of Greek, medieval, Renaissance and nineteenth and twentieth century “classics" while also exploring the social, intellectual and philosophical forces which shaped each author's sensibility. Works studied are by authors such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Dante, Shakespeare, Voltaire, Swift, Melville, Goethe, Austen, Dostoevsky, Flaubert, Tolstoy, Dickinson, Woolf, Joyce, Eliot, Garcia Marquez, Faulkner and Yeats. Through critical analysis and discussion students sharpen their awareness of language and the writer's craft and increase their sensitivity to literature, which enables them to understand better both themselves and the world in which they live. Analytic and persuasive papers focus students on the study and practice of expressing their ideas in honest, effective language which demonstrates an understanding of the relationship between style, tone, and audience. Analysis of Shakespearean critical commentary is required. This course prepares students for the CEEB Examination in English Literature and Composition given annually in May.

0117/0118 MASTERPIECES OF WESTERN LITERATURE (C1 or H by contract (See Prerequisite)) Y 5

This course presents some of the literary masterpieces which comprise an important part of our cultural heritage. Through readings selected from Greek, Renaissance, and nineteenth and twentieth-century classics, students search for universal themes which reflect and give insight into the human condition. The literary and aesthetic value of each work is emphasized. At all times students are made aware that "a classic is a classic because of a certain eternal and irrepressible freshness." Students complete independent research, contribute to class discussions, and submit expository and creative papers related to their reading. They read works of authors such as Sophocles, Shakespeare, Flaubert, Dostoevsky, Ibsen, Kafka, Camus, and Eliot. Students may elect to work at the honors level in this course by contract.

0114 THEMATIC LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION II (C2) Y 5 (formerly known as Reading and Writing II)

Like its counterpart, Thematic Literature and Composition I, this course emphasizes the continued development of a student's comprehension, written expression, and critical thinking skills. However, the junior course is not a prerequisite for this course. During the year, students study fiction and non-fiction related to a central theme, using works of such authors as Stephen King, William Shakespeare, Jon Krakauer, Sandra Cisneros, JRR Tolkien, and others. Vocabulary and grammar are taught within the context of these works, and there are regular comprehension and vocabulary quizzes. Verbal skills are stressed through class discussion, reading and major dramatic project. Writing assignments include critical essays and creative short stories designed to strengthen students’ ability to write with detail, purpose and clarity.

0111/0112 HUMANITIES: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH (C1 or H by contract (See Prerequisite)) Y/Double 10

Humanities is a double-credit course for seniors in the literature, history, art and music of Western civilization. Organized chronologically and interdisciplinary in approach, Humanities emphasizes especially the classical and medieval periods, the Renaissance, and selected aspects of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Students study the works of many of the major writers, artists and composers of the Western tradition. Papers and projects are both analytical and creative.

Students taking Humanities must have a "C" average or better in their previous high school English courses. Students may elect to work at the honors level in this course by meeting the requirements of the English department for honors level work.

Humanities fulfills the Fine and Applied Arts requirement as well as the senior English requirement.